PLANNING CONSULTATION
Land at former Zanzibar Nightclub Marsh Parade / Hassell Street,
Newcastle Under Lyme
This consultation is now closed.
Aspire Housing is developing its proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of the former Zanzibar nightclub site for a scheme comprising of 63 affordable units (in a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments), set within two four-storey buildings situated at the junction of Marsh Parade and Hassell Street, access, parking, landscaping, shared private amenity space, and associated infrastructure; and, five single storey enterprise units situated along the North Street frontage. Planning applications are currently being prepared and will be submitted to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council shortly. The proposed uses of these commercial units will fall within Class E of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended).
As part of this process Aspire wishes to seek the view of local people on its draft proposal. This consultation webpage is therefore intended to share Aspire’s vision and proposals for the redevelopment of the site and allow you the opportunity to give your feedback on the scheme, which will help Aspire and its team to refine its proposals.
About Aspire Housing
Aspire Housing is a leading affordable housing provider, property developer and place shaper based in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Created in July 2000, they own and manage more than 9,000 homes and support over 20,000 customers across Staffordshire and Cheshire. Their profits are reinvested in new homes, in revitalising communities and in a comprehensive range of innovative support services designed to transform lives.
Aspire’s aim is to make a positive, lasting difference to individuals and communities, providing a blend of high-quality homes, community support and people-focused services.
More information about Aspire Housing can be found at www.aspirehousing.co.uk
The Site
Aspire Housing acquired the Zanzibar Nightclub and accompanying public car park in 2019. The nightclub closed around 2004 and, in spite of the local planning authority granting several approvals for its redevelopment for alternative uses, the premises remained largely intact up until the point Aspire secured approval for the demolition in 2020. Since the buildings were demolished, the site has been vacant.
The application site is located to the east of Newcastle-under-Lyme Town Centre. It is situated in a highly sustainable location within walking distance of a wide range of services, facilities and employment opportunities within the town centre. The site is well served by public transport and benefits from excellent connections to the local footpath and cycleway networks.
The site is shown edged in red on the attached aerial image (Plan 1) and the site’s existing characteristics are shown on Plan 2.
Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council’s Town Centre Supplementary Planning Document (January 2009) and its companion documents identify this land as being one of the sites that could be redeveloped to create an enhanced ‘gateway’ into the town, and which presents an opportunity for a ‘landmark’ development. The emerging Local Plan for Newcastle under Lyme proposes allocating the site for a mixed use development comprising housing (apartments) and commercial uses.
The Proposal
The development will provide 63 one and two-bedroom affordable apartments and external amenity space for residents. The proposed Site Plan (Plan 3) shows the layout of the buildings on the site. The apartments will be contained within two, four-storey buildings, which will have pedestrian accesses from Hassell Street and Marsh Parade as well as the internal parking courtyard.
The enterprise unit element of the proposals consists of 5 self-contained enterprise units located within a standalone single storey block to the west of the site, fronting on to North Street. These office units will be owned by the Borough Council, and they will be targeted towards independent, start-up businesses.
The scheme has been designed in such a way that it allows for the gradual reduction in height (stepping down) of the found levels, from the highest point in the eastern part of the site, towards the west. This reflects the sites and surrounding area’s sloping topography. The strategies underpinning the way in which the site is laid out and scale and massing of the proposed buildings is shown on the accompanying site wide massing Plans (Plan 4 - 5).
We have also provided three sketch visuals (Plans 6, 7 and 8) which show how the building would be seen in views from Brunswick Street, Marsh Parade and North Street.
It is Aspire’s current intention to make two separate detailed (full) applications to the Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council. The first which will seek approval for the enterprise units is expected to be submitted in late March. The application for the residential elements of the scheme will be submitted towards the end of April.
The proposal for Zanzibar presents an opportunity to greatly improve this vacant site and enhance the character of the surrounding area. Moreover, it will provide urgently needed affordable accommodation designed to a high specification. It is also the intention that Aspire will bring forward a truly sustainable development that will contain a wide range of energy techniques and technologies in order to enhance the living experience and reduce the carbon footprint of the development.
Consultation
Please note that this consultation is now closed.
For any further queries, please contact Avison Young via the email:
Former Zanzibar nightclub
Land at former Zanzibar Nightclub Marsh Parade / Hassell Street, Newcastle Under Lyme
Feedback invited by 16 January 2023.
Aspire Housing is preparing an application which will seek full (detailed) planning permission for the redevelopment of the former Zanzibar nightclub site for a scheme comprising three buildings, ranging between two and nine storeys that will provide 70 independent living units (in a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and one-bedroom mews properties), 11 enterprise units (for certain uses falling with within Class E of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended), access, parking, communal facilities, landscaping, shared private amenity space and associated infrastructure. As part of this process Aspire wishes to seek the view of local people on its draft proposal. This consultation webpage is therefore intended to share Aspire’s vision and proposals for the redevelopment of the site and allow you the opportunity to give your feedback on the scheme, which will help Aspire and its team to refine its proposals.
About Aspire Housing
Aspire Housing is a leading housing provider, property developer and place shaper based in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Created in July 2000, we own and manage more than 9,000 homes and support over 20,000 customers across Staffordshire and Cheshire. Our profits are reinvested in new homes, in revitalising communities and in a comprehensive range of innovative support services designed to transform lives.
Our aim is to make a positive, lasting difference to individuals and communities, providing a blend of high-quality homes, community support and people-focused services.
The scheme that Aspire is intending to bring forward forms part of its ambitious Older Persons Strategy which will see it embark on the transformative regeneration of several key sites within the Borough.
More information about Aspire Housing can be found at www.aspirehousing.co.uk
The Site
Aspire Housing acquired the Zanzibar Nightclub and accompanying public car park in 2019. The nightclub closed around 2004 and, in spite of the local planning authority granting several approvals for its redevelopment for alternative uses, the premises remained largely intact up until the point Aspire secured approval for the demolition in 2020. Since the buildings were demolished, the site has been vacant.
The application site is located to the east of and within Newcastle-under-Lyme Town Centre. It is situated in a highly sustainable location within walking distance of a wide range of services, facilities and employment opportunities. The site is well served by public transport and benefits from excellent connections to the local footpath and cycleway networks.
The site is shown edged in red on the attached aerial image (Plan 1) and the site’s constraints and opportunities are shown on Plan 2.
Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council’s Town Centre Supplementary Planning Document (January 2009) and its companion documents identify this land as being one of the sites that could be redeveloped to create an enhanced ‘gateway’ into the town, and which present an opportunity for a ‘landmark’ development. Plan 3 shows how the proposal could potentially respond to these opportunities.
The Proposal
The development will provide a range of one and two-bedroom apartments for over-55s independent living, along with internal communal facilities and external amenity space for residents.
The proposed Site Plan (Plan 4) shows the layout of the buildings on the site. The main entrance to the development will be to the corner of Marsh Parade and Brunswick Street, where residents will be able to access communal lounges and gardens. Seven storeys of residential accommodation will sit above the ground floor level communal facilities at this end of the site. A row of independently accessed mews style properties will be situated on the site’s Hassell Street frontage. They will be arranged over two storeys which responds to the scale of the existing terraced housing on the opposite side of Hassell Street.
In addition to the independent living apartments, the proposal makes provision for 11 self-contained enterprise units located within a standalone two-storey block to the west of the site, fronting on to North Street. These office units will be owned by Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council who will offer them for rent, to independent start-up businesses.
The scheme has been designed in such a way that it allows for the gradual reduction in height (stepping down) of the buildings, from the tallest section in the eastern part of the site, towards the west. This reflects the site’s sloping topography and respects the scale of the existing built development to the south and west of the site. The strategies underpinning the way in which the site is laid out and the scale and massing of the proposed buildings is shown on Plan 4.
We have provided two visuals (Plans 5 and 6) which show how the building would be seen in views from George Street and Hassell Street. We have also produced a massing model, which shows how the development will sit within the context of its surroundings. Images of the model can be found at Plan7.
The proposal for Zanzibar presents an opportunity to greatly improve this vacant site and enhance the character of the surrounding area. Moreover, it will provide urgently needed accommodation for older persons in safe and secure environment, designed to a very high specification. It is also the intention that Aspire will bring forward a truly sustainable development that will contain a wide range of energy efficiency techniques and technologies in order to enhance the living experience for its residents and reduce the carbon footprint of the development.
The staggered roof levels provide an opportunity for energy generation via the installation of photovoltaic panels (PVs) arranged in a southern and western orientation. While the introduction of green and blue roofs will enhance local biodiversity value and assist with rainwater attenuation. At the top level of the building there will be a private roof terrace for residents, which will afford views across the town centre and the hills beyond (Plan 8).
Consultation
We welcome your feedback on the draft proposals. The deadline for providing comments is the 16 January 2023.
For any further queries, please contact Avison Young via the email: